45 colt saa engraving

jwharding

I have a 45 saa I've had for about 10 years. Getting on in years an not in good health. I want to leave it to my grandson. The gun has never been fired but I'm planning on shooting it in a few days with him. I would like to have some kind of engraving done to the gun but don't want to spend a fortune doing it. Does the gun have to be refinished after engraving? It's nickel plated. If so is it real expensive. Don't want a lot done maybe name.
jW
Any recommendation where to have it done?

nmyers

I recommend against engraving. The gun will have to be stripped & re-plated, & that will be expensive; &, it's more likely to chip or delaminate in the future. If you want to do anything to keep your GC aware of the love in that gift, buy a fitted presentation case for it & have a trophy store engrave a small plate that you can screw to the lid.

With the exception of presentations to historical figures, aftermarket engraving greatly reduces the value of guns. Most shooters & collectors consider it to be mutilation.

You want it to keep it's value, because it's likely that some day he will want to trade it in on a AK WASR with a quad rail.

Neal

EDIT: Colt SAA grips MUST be fitted to the gun. At Colt, oversized grips are attached to the grip frame & abrasive wheels are used to grind the grips; this removes the finish from the grip frame, so it is then sent to be refinished before final assembly. Aftermarket, grips can be fitted by a skilled technician with careful hand fitting, a laborious & expensive procedure.

gartman

Don't do it. Engraving and refinishing a mint gun would ruin it's collector value rather than increase it. Perhaps the grips could be replaced (and saved) and new custom grips installed with an engraved momento or an engraved medallion. Many would even argue against shooting it.

charliemeyer007

I'm a shooter not a collector. All my steel kids get to go the range or hunting. Some of them are quite collectable, however I like to enjoy them for their intended purpose.

When I worked in the gun shop an old guy brought in a hi power that was new in box/bag and like 50 years old. Every decade he would put on new cotton gloves and take it out of the box just to look at it. I remember thinking at the time, some day someone will get the pleasure of being the first one to shoot it. Thank God for dedicated collectors. That said, you will loosing money, perhaps a lot!

Spider7115

Please heed the above comments. Having it engraved will destroy its current and future value and engraving a name is the worst you could possibly do. Follow the display case advice.

hslaterpryce

Have a nice set of grips made and engrave the INSIDE of the grips with the date or name or any relevant information of your choice. Or have an "emblem" set in the grips you have made. I have seen family crests, monograms etc set like a Colt or S&W emblem. Save the old grips and retain the original finish of that SAA revolver. JMHO Good luck!

kimi

quote:Originally posted by hslaterpryce
Have a nice set of grips made and engrave the INSIDE of the grips with the date or name or any relevant information of your choice. Or have an "emblem" set in the grips you have made. I have seen family crests, monograms etc set like a Colt or S&W emblem. Save the old grips and retain the original finish of that SAA revolver. JMHO Good luck!


That and the previously mentioned presentation case would be great!

45er

Howdy jwharding,

Good on you for this thought. Realize of course we'll all have our opinions if in your shoes.

Therefore, mine too, goes with both the fitted presentation box with inscribed plate & added-on grips, both excellant idears.

Now shooting it, yep, there goes some collector value-- but me, I say so what, because what's more important... some cash-ola or the good times you will have with your grandkiddo? And that time with you he may just tell about to his off-spring, likewise. Innit what that's all about?

I've an old Winchester pump .22 that was hand down, and at the time thought it was a piece of horse-manure good for but darkling more the corner of a dark closet, but this ol' rascal grew up and now it is much treasured.

Enjoy,
45er

perry shooter

Shooting and then carefully Cleaning every time for as many as 100 times it is used will result with a 95-99 % Pistol. Yes This will result in a reduction in Value Maybe 10-20 % if you keep all papers and The original Box. However if you have the gun engraved With a NAME and refinished the lost in Value will 50 % or more. My vote is also on grips or display case.

gearheaddad

quote:Originally posted by kimi
quote:Originally posted by hslaterpryce
Have a nice set of grips made and engrave the INSIDE of the grips with the date or name or any relevant information of your choice. Or have an "emblem" set in the grips you have made. I have seen family crests, monograms etc set like a Colt or S&W emblem. Save the old grips and retain the original finish of that SAA revolver. JMHO Good luck!


That and the previously mentioned presentation case would be great!


I agree with Kimi on this one.
Your Grandson will treasure that Colt for many years to come!
I have a few of my Grandfathers guns, and when I hold them or shoot them it is like he is standing beside me.
Please don't engrave the Colt!
And if he is of age, give him the Colt while you are still able!

jwharding

I knew that engraving the gun would ruin the resell value of the gun, but if he decides to sell it later it really wasn't worth much to him anyway. I really like the idea of the grips and display case. Plan on doing both. I wanted to shoot the gun with him so some day he can tell his child that he and I shot it the first time together.
Thanks for the ideas
JW